I am doing this cake (picture attached) for a 50th birthday. I will be doing a 10” bottom tier and an 8” top tier. And I will be doing the cake as it is in the picture. I tend to undercharge when I make custom cakes. So I’m wondering what would be a reasonable price for this cake. I also always deliver my cakes to the customer. Thanks for your opinions. 

$6- $7 a serving

i would do the cards with edible ink markers
i would want to do the dice with inverted holes like real dice and just powder the impressions with white powder but i'm sure there's a good reason they make little blops on there -- probably pushes then out of whack when you try & make/press  those in there

oh but then i'd add on for delivery and tax

Pricing is so hard to suggest because of the many, many different factors...........location, how much invested in ingredients, taxes, time it takes you, and oh so much more.   I think K8 is somewhere in the  neighborhood suggesting the $6-7.  Delivery pricing is somewhere in the neighborhood of 55 to 60 cents per mile.....& of course then you double it for there & back.

although we really can't charge for how long it takes a person -- we can however charge for how long it Should take -- most new/home cakers and even experienced home cakers take way. too. long. 

and when they say they pay themselves $15 an hour or something i just laugh -- shoot me --

ok -- put it this way -- charging less than $5 per serving i think would be a crime -- no matter where you live etc. 

and -- a ten inch is 38 servings and an 8" is 24 servings so that's 38+24 is  62x5 is over THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS

when people buy a celebration cake like this -- they don't serve large homestyle servings because it's an expensive cake -- voila -- they serve traditional servings of 1x2x4 -- there's two ways to sell cake -- one where you make money and one where you satisfy your creativity -- the idea is to do both but starting out you have to learn the ropes -- be able to convincingly say the words "that'll be three hundred dollars" and etc.

you'll lose more business than you'll ever get by charging properly but it's not worth it if you don't

Omg! I don’t know if I could ever charge that much for this cake even though I know the customer can very much afford to. I always fear losing business and people telling other people that I’m too expensive. I was aiming at $200. But you’re right. I need to give myself credit and charge what I deserve to be paid. I am thinking this cake will take about 10 hours if not more. All the fondant work takes time. Good points. 

why did you ask

I didn’t mean that I won’t ask for that price.  I’m just saying that I’m not used to asking what I should be asking, as far as pricing goes.  i asked this question here because i wanted to see what others charge for their cakes, and to see if I really was underpricing. And your comments verified that I am. I need to get comfortable asking for a fair price for all the work these cakes entail. That’s all I meant. 

I didn’t mean that I won’t ask for that price.  I’m just saying that I’m not used to asking what I should be asking, as far as pricing goes.  i asked this question here because i wanted to see what others charge for their cakes, and to see if I really was underpricing. And your comments verified that I am. I need to get comfortable asking for a fair price for all the work these cakes entail. That’s all I meant. 

cool --

the problem is the glut of cakers now -- there are many people who will lowball this cake so there's that too

When you UNDERcharge it hurts all cake decorators.  Yes, in the long run it does reverberate all around the world.....eventually.   Next time someone wants a specially made, elegant, nice, beautiful cake they will try to talk down the price :(   The decorator KNOWS how much time, talent, efford and $$$ went into making it.  Customers have no clue.   Don't you pay your customer for the privilage of buying from you. 

That cake would be $300 at least...all day long no matter where you are.  I think.  People have to understand the time and work that go into to your creation, your edible work of art 

On the other hand, there is little to no artistic ability required here. And before everybody gets in a tizzy, let me explain.  The pieces are all cut out precisely and there is no modelling or forming or painting needed.  Once your cakes are baked, torted, filled, crumb coated and fondanted (is that a word?) all you have to do is put the pieces on and you're done. The letters are all tappits so there's no piping. So the time is going to go to cutting all the pieces of fondant and getting the baking side done. Yes, it's an adorable cake but not supremely difficult. 

However, I do agree that you should get a minimum of $300 no matter where you are.

cakefan92 -- i agree w/you

i say/write  fondanted all the time -- probably not a real word but it should be  -- and it is here ==

 artistry no -- expertise yes -- it takes some know how to get that all done nicely 

cakefan92....when you said there is no artistic ability here I almost screamed.......BUT THERE IS!  :)  Then I read k8's reply....artistry no -- expertise yes -- it takes some know how to get that all done nicely ...

O.k. I'll agree with that :)  It will take expertise to cut each element perfectly, to make those 'dice' (that alone is a huge task), and be able to put it all together as well as the 'sample cake'.   It's going to take lots more time than one would 1st think for sure.